The Las Vegas Raiders are stuck in a season that feels heavier each week, and Geno Smithhas become its central figure. Two weeks ago, after a rough 16-33 loss to the Cowboys, he stood in front of reporters and didn’t hesitate. “Blame it on me,” he said. The words were simple, but they landed hard on a team that’s now 2-10 and struggling to find any momentum.
Pete Carroll, who brought Smith with him from Seattle, understood exactly what was coming. He heard the quote, watched the criticism build, and knew his quarterback would absorb most of it. For a coach with his experience, the pattern was familiar. Carroll made it clear he wasn’t surprised by the backlash and wanted to stay close to Smith through the turbulence.
The frustration in Las Vegas is understandable. Fans hoped Carroll’s arrival would mirror the stability and success he produced in Seattle. From 2010 to 2023, he never had fewer than seven wins and reached two Super Bowls, winning one in 2013. The Raiders, however, have rarely looked competitive. They’ve struggled to surpass 400 yards of offense, and their lowest point came in Week 7 when they managed just 95 yards against the Chiefs.
Carroll admitted the obvious. “We haven’t been as productive as we want to be,” he said. But he also insisted Smith has improved recently, something supported by NFL Next Gen Stats showing a rise in completion accuracy over his last several starts.
He’s [Geno] been around long enough to know he’s going to carry the burden and be the one everybody points the finger a… So I wanted to make sure and stay with him and hang through that. Get him back to his football and back where he could play really clean. And he really has turned the corner in that regard
The pressure around Geno Smith keeps growing
This season has been a tough watch for the veteran quarterback. Smith has put up 2,532 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, which would usually be respectable, but his 14 interceptions tie him for the league lead. ESPN analysts point out that several of those turnovers shifted the momentum of close games the Raidersdesperately needed to win.
The drop-off from his Seattle peak, where he earned two Pro Bowl nods and won the 2022 AP Comeback Player of the Year award, has become a talking point across the league. Yet Carroll still highlights Smith’s communication, discipline, and late-season adjustments as reasons to stay patient.
We haven’t been as productive as we want to be and need to be… but his role in it and [Geno’s] efficiency is really much more on point than it was early in the season
Meanwhile, the organization faces a financial decision. Over The Cap reports that Smith is owed $18 million next season, a number that complicates any immediate separation. Sports Illustrated’s Hondo Carpenter has indicated that the Raiders are leaning toward keeping Smith as a bridge quarterback while they consider drafting a young prospect, possibly in 2026. Kenny Pickett, who sits behind Smith on the depth chart, hasn’t played enough to earn real consideration as a long-term starter.
The Raiders remain far outside the playoff picture and prepare next for a matchup against the 10-2 Denver Broncos.
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